Matthew S. Bunting, Philip W. Stevens, David A. Blewett, Quenton M. Tuckett, Jeffrey E. Hill, Gregg R. Poulakis, Colin P. Shea, Courtney R. Saari
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Worldwide, coastal wetlands are threatened by disrupted hydrology, urbanization, and sea-level rise. In southwest Florida, coastal wetlands include tidal creeks and coastal ponds, which are the primary habitats used by juvenile Tarpon, Megalops atlanticus, an important sport fish. Coastal ponds can occur near uplands and are ephemerally connected to the open estuary, creating conditions of variable dissolved oxygen and salinity. Juveniles can tolerate wide-ranging abiotic conditions, but little is known about how they egress from their remote nursery habitats, which often requires them to cross > 1 km of mangrove forest to reach the open estuary. The objective of this study was to (1) compare Tarpon body condition among ponds close to the open estuary versus those ponds farther away on the Cape Haze peninsula of Charlotte Harbor, Florida, and (2) using acoustic telemetry determine what factors contribute to Tarpon emigration from the ponds to open estuarine waters. We tested the hypothesis that distinct groups of Tarpon occur in isolated ponds, leading to variation in fish length and body condition, and that opportunities for emigration from these ponds hinge on high water events. No pond stood out as having Tarpon of low body condition. Factors contributing to increased probabilities of Tarpon emigration were low barometric pressure, high-water level, and Tarpon body length. Tarpon emigrated from ponds near tidal creeks during summer king tides, while tropical cyclone conditions were needed to allow for movement from ponds farther in the landscape. The juvenile Tarpon were later detected at the mouths of large rivers 30 km up-estuary. The characterizations of water levels and event criteria needed for successful Tarpon nurseries should aid in habitat conservation and the creation of Tarpon nursery habitat in restoration designs.
期刊介绍:
Estuaries and Coasts is the journal of the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF). Begun in 1977 as Chesapeake Science, the journal has gradually expanded its scope and circulation. Today, the journal publishes scholarly manuscripts on estuarine and near coastal ecosystems at the interface between the land and the sea where there are tidal fluctuations or sea water is diluted by fresh water. The interface is broadly defined to include estuaries and nearshore coastal waters including lagoons, wetlands, tidal fresh water, shores and beaches, but not the continental shelf. The journal covers research on physical, chemical, geological or biological processes, as well as applications to management of estuaries and coasts. The journal publishes original research findings, reviews and perspectives, techniques, comments, and management applications. Estuaries and Coasts will consider properly carried out studies that present inconclusive findings or document a failed replication of previously published work. Submissions that are primarily descriptive, strongly place-based, or only report on development of models or new methods without detailing their applications fall outside the scope of the journal.